Natcore, Eurotron Partner on HIT Solar Cells

The company recently announced that it had produced an all-back-contact silicon heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cell using proprietary laser technology. The company said the technique increases cell efficiency and could allow low-cost, environmentally friendlier production.

The cells are made using thin, amorphous silicon layers in combination with a standard crystalline silicon wafers. Contacts are applied to the back of the cell using a laser.

Natcore has filed a provisional patent application for the technology.

Its collaboration with Eurotron is aimed at incorporating 6-in. cells into commercial-style modules.

Headquartered in Bleskensgraaf, Netherlands, Eurotron technology is based on a patterned conductive backsheet that provides improved cell-to-module performance for back-contact solar cells.

Joint work will be performed in the Eurotron Competence Center, a facility opened last May to provide lab-to-fab testing and pre-production services for solar cell and module technologies.

“Whenever solar cells are assembled into modules, there is a significant loss of efficiency,” said Natcore CEO Chuck Provini. “According to Eurotron, these cell-to-module losses, which are common in traditional modules, will not occur on modules made using their production tools. Modules built in the Eurotron Test Center have shown up to 4 percent cell-to-module power gain in best situations.”

The project managers will be Dr. David Levy, Natcore’s R&D director, and Bart de Gier, Eurotron’s R&D program manager.

Electromagnetic radiation detectable by the eye, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 750 nm. In photonic applications light can be considered to cover the nonvisible portion of the spectrum which includes the ultraviolet and the infrared.